[gnus] / texi / message.texi

\input texinfo                  @c -*-texinfo-*-

@setfilename message.info
@settitle Message Manual
@synindex fn cp
@synindex vr cp
@synindex pg cp
@iftex
@finalout
@end iftex
@setchapternewpage odd

@ifinfo

This file documents Messa, the Emacs message composition mode.

Copyright (C) 1996 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.

@ignore
Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).

@end ignore
Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
@end ifinfo

@tex

@titlepage
@title Message Manual

@author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
@page

@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
Copyright @copyright{} 1996 Free Software Foundation, Inc. 

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.

@end titlepage
@page

@end tex

@node Top
@top Message

All message composition (both mail and news) takes place in Message mode
buffers.

@menu
* Interface::         Setting up message buffers.
* Commands::          Commands you can execute in message mode buffers.
* Variables::         Customizing the message buffers.
* Index::             Variable, function and concept index.
* Key Index::         List of Message mode keys.
@end menu


@node Interface
@chapter Interface

When a program (or a person) wants to respond to a message -- reply,
follow up, forward, cancel -- the program (or person) should just put
point in the buffer where the message is and call the required command.
@code{Message} will then pop up a new @code{message} mode buffer with
appropriate headers filled out, and the user can edit the message before
sending it.

@menu
* New Mail Message::     Editing a brand new mail message.
* New News Message::     Editing a brand new news message.
* Reply::                Replying via mail.
* Wide Reply::           Responding to all people via mail.
* Followup::             Following up via news.
* Canceling News::       Canceling a news article.
* Superseding::          Superseding a message.
* Forwarding::           Forwarding a message via news or mail.
* Resending::            Resending a mail message.
* Bouncing::             Bouncing a mail message.
@end menu


@node New Mail Message
@section New Mail Message

@findex message-mail
The @code{message-mail} command pops up a new message buffer.  

Two optional parameters are accepted: The first will be used as the
@code{To} header and the second as the @code{Subject} header.  If these
aren't present, those two headers will be empty.


@node New News Message
@section New News Message

@findex message-news
The @code{message-news} command pops up a new message buffer.  

This function accepts two optional parameters.  The first will be used
as the @code{Newsgroups} header and the second as the @code{Subject}
header.  If these aren't present, those two headers will be empty.


@node Reply
@section Reply

@findex message-reply
The @code{message-reply} function pops up a message buffer that's a
reply to the message in the current buffer.

@vindex message-reply-to-function
Message uses the normal methods to determine where replies are to go,
but you can change the behavior to suit your needs by fiddling with the
@code{message-reply-to-function} variable.

If you want the replies to go to the @code{Sender} instead of the
@code{From}, you could do something like this:

@lisp
(setq message-reply-to-function
      (lambda ()
       (cond ((equal (mail-fetch-field "from") "somebody")
               (mail-fetch-field "sender"))     
             (t 
              nil))))
@end lisp

This function will be called narrowed to the head of the article that is
being replied to.

As you can see, this function should return a string if it has an
opinion as to what the To header should be.  If it does not, it should
just return @code{nil}, and the normal methods for determining the To
header will be used.

This function can also return a list.  In that case, each list element
should be a cons, where the car should be the name of an header
(eg. @code{Cc}) and the cdr should be the header value
(eg. @samp{larsi@@ifi.uio.no}).  All these headers will be inserted into
the head of the outgoing mail. 


@node Wide Reply
@section Wide Reply

@findex message-wide-reply
The @code{message-wide-reply} pops up a message buffer that's a wide
reply to the message in the current buffer.

@vindex message-wide-reply-to-function
Message uses the normal methods to determine where wide replies are to go,
but you can change the behavior to suit your needs by fiddling with the
@code{message-wide-reply-to-function}.  It is used in the same way as
@code{message-reply-to-function} (@pxref{Reply}). 


@node Followup
@section Followup

@findex message-followup
The @code{message-followup} command pops up a message buffer that's a
followup to the message in the current buffer.

@vindex message-followup-to-function
Message uses the normal methods to determine where followups are to go,
but you can change the behavior to suit your needs by fiddling with the
@code{message-followup-to-function}.  It is used in the same way as
@code{message-reply-to-function} (@pxref{Reply}).

@vindex message-use-followup-to
The @code{message-use-followup-to} variable says what to do about
@code{Followup-To} headers.  If it is @code{use}, always use the value.
If it is @code{ask} (which is the default), ask whether to use the
value.  If it is @code{t}, use the value unless it is @samp{poster}.  If
it is @code{nil}, don't use the value.


@node Canceling News
@section Canceling News

@findex message-cancel-news
The @code{message-cancel-news} command cancels the article in the
current buffer.


@node Superseding
@section Superseding

@findex message-supersede
The @code{message-supersede} command pops up a message buffer that will
supersede the message in the current buffer.

@vindex message-ignored-supersedes-headers
Headers matching the @code{message-ignored-supersedes-headers} are
removed before popping up the new message buffer.  The default is
@samp{^Path:\\|^Date\\|^NNTP-Posting-Host:\\|^Xref:\\|^Lines:\\|^Received:\\|^X-From-Line:\\|Return-Path:}.



@node Forwarding
@section Forwarding

@findex message-forward
The @code{message-forward} command pops up a message buffer to forward
the message in the current buffer.  If given a prefix, forward using
news.

@table @code
@item message-forward-start-separator
@vindex message-forward-start-separator
Delimiter inserted before forwarded messages.  The default is
@samp{------- Start of forwarded message -------\n}. 

@vindex message-forward-end-separator
@item message-forward-end-separator
@vindex message-forward-end-separator
Delimiter inserted after forwarded messages.  The default is
@samp{------- End of forwarded message -------\n}. 

@item message-signature-before-forwarded-message
@vindex message-signature-before-forwarded-message
If this variable is @code{t}, which it is by default, your personal
signature will be inserted before the forwarded message.  If not, the
forwarded message will be inserted first in the new mail.

@item message-forward-included-headers
@vindex message-forward-included-headers
Regexp matching header lines to be included in forwarded messages.  

@end table


@node Resending
@section Resending

@findex message-resend
The @code{message-resend} command will prompt the user for an address
and resend the message in the current buffer to that address.

@vindex message-ignored-resent-headers
Headers the match the @code{message-ignored-resent-headers} regexp will
be removed before sending the message.  The default is
@samp{^Return-receipt}. 


@node Bouncing
@section Bouncing

@findex message-bounce
The @code{message-bounce} command will, if the current buffer contains a
bounced mail message, pop up a message buffer stripped of the bounce
information.

@vindex message-ignored-bounced-headers
Headers that match the @code{message-ignored-bounced-headers} regexp
will be removed before popping up the buffer.  The default is
@samp{^Received:}. 


@node Commands
@chapter Commands

@menu
* Header Commands::     Commands for moving to headers.
* Movement::            Moving around in message buffers.
* Insertion::           Inserting things into message buffers.
* Various Commands::    Various things.
* Sending::             Actually sending the message.
@end menu


@node Header Commands
@section Header Commands

All these commands move to the header in question.  If it doesn't exist,
it will be inserted.

@table @kbd

@item C-c ?
@kindex C-c ?
@findex message-goto-to
Describe the message mode.

@item C-c C-f C-t
@kindex C-c C-f C-t 
@findex message-goto-to
Go to the @code{To} header (@code{message-goto-to}).

@item C-c C-f C-b
@kindex C-c C-f C-b 
@findex message-goto-bcc
Go to the @code{Bcc} header (@code{message-goto-bcc}).

@item C-c C-f C-f
@kindex C-c C-f C-f 
@findex message-goto-fcc
Go to the @code{Fcc} header (@code{message-goto-fcc}).

@item C-c C-f C-c
@kindex C-c C-f C-c 
@findex message-goto-cc
Go to the @code{Cc} header (@code{message-goto-cc}).

@item C-c C-f C-s
@kindex C-c C-f C-s 
@findex message-goto-subject
Go to the @code{Subject} header (@code{message-goto-subject}).

@item C-c C-f C-r
@kindex C-c C-f C-r 
@findex message-goto-reply-to
Go to the @code{Reply-To} header (@code{message-goto-reply-to}).

@item C-c C-f C-n
@kindex C-c C-f C-n 
@findex message-goto-newsgroups
Go to the @code{Newsgroups} header (@code{message-goto-newsgroups}).

@item C-c C-f C-d
@kindex C-c C-f C-d 
@findex message-goto-distribution
Go to the @code{Distribution} header (@code{message-goto-distribution}).

@item C-c C-f C-o
@kindex C-c C-f C-o 
@findex message-goto-followup-to
Go to the @code{Followup-To} header (@code{message-goto-followup-to}).

@item C-c C-f C-k
@kindex C-c C-f C-k 
@findex message-goto-keywords
Go to the @code{Keywords} header (@code{message-goto-keywords}).

@item C-c C-f C-u
@kindex C-c C-f C-u 
@findex message-goto-summary
Go to the @code{Summary} header (@code{message-goto-summary}).

@end table


@node Movement
@section Movement

@table @kbd
@item C-c C-b
@kindex C-c C-b 
@findex message-goto-body
Move to the beginning of the body of the message
(@code{message-goto-body}). 

@item C-c C-i
@kindex C-c C-i 
@findex message-goto-signature
Move to the signature of the message (@code{message-goto-signature}).

@end table


@node Insertion
@section Insertion

@table @kbd

@item C-c C-y
@kindex C-c C-y 
@findex message-yank-original
Yank the message that's being replied to into the message buffer
(@code{message-yank-original}). 

@item C-c C-q
@kindex C-c C-q 
@findex message-fill-yanked-message
Fill the yanked message (@code{message-fill-yanked-message}). 

@item C-c C-w
@kindex C-c C-w 
@findex message-insert-signature
Insert a signature at the end of the buffer
(@code{message-insert-signature}).  

@end table

@table @code
@item message-ignored-cited-headers
@vindex message-ignored-cited-headers
All headers that match this regexp will be removed from yanked
messages.  The default is @samp{.}, which means that all headers will be
removed.

@item message-citation-line-function
@vindex message-citation-line-function
Function called to insert the citation line.  The default is
@code{message-insert-citation-line}. 

@item message-yank-prefix
@vindex message-yank-prefix
@cindex yanking
@cindex quoting
When you are replying to or following up an article, you normally want
to quote the person you are answering.  Inserting quoted text is done by
@dfn{yanking}, and each quoted line you yank will have
@code{message-yank-prefix} prepended to it.  The default is @samp{> }.
If it is @code{nil}, just indent the message.

@item message-indentation-spaces
@vindex message-indentation-spaces
Number of spaces to indent yanked messages.

@item message-cite-function
@vindex message-cite-function
Function for citing an original message.  The default is
@code{message-cite-original}. 

@item message-indent-citation-function
@vindex message-indent-citation-function
Function for modifying a citation just inserted in the mail buffer.
This can also be a list of functions.  Each function can find the
citation between @code{(point)} and @code{(mark t)}.  And each function
should leave point and mark around the citation text as modified.

@item message-signature
@vindex message-signature
String to be inserted at the end of the message buffer.  If @code{t}
(which is the default), the @code{message-signature-file} file will be
inserted instead.  If a function, the result from the function will be
used instead.  If a form, the result from the form will be used instead.
If this variable is @code{nil}, no signature will be inserted at all.

@item message-signature-file
@vindex message-signature-file
File containing the signature to be inserted at the end of the buffer.
The default is @samp{~/.signature}.

@end table

Note that RFC1036 says that a signature should be preceded by the three
characters @samp{-- } on a line by themselves.  This is to make it
easier for the recipient to automatically recognize and process the
signature.  So don't remove those characters, even though you might feel
that they ruin you beautiful design, like, totally.

Also note that no signature should be more than four lines long.
Including ASCII graphics is an efficient way to get everybody to believe
that you are silly and have nothing important to say.



@node Various Commands
@section Various Commands

@table @kbd

@item C-c C-r
@kindex C-c C-r 
@findex message-caesar-buffer-body
Caesar rotate (aka. rot13) the current message
(@code{message-caesar-buffer-body}).  If narrowing is in effect, just
rotate the visible portion of the buffer.  A numerical prefix says how
many places to rotate the text.  The default is 13.

@item C-c C-t
@kindex C-c C-t 
@findex message-insert-to
Insert a @code{To} header that contains the @code{Reply-To} or
@code{From} header of the message you're following up
(@code{message-insert-to}). 

@item C-c C-n
@kindex C-c C-n 
@findex message-insert-newsgroups
Insert a @code{Newsgroups} header that reflects the @code{Followup-To}
or @code{Newsgroups} header of the article you're replying to
(@code{message-insert-newsgroups}).

@item C-c M-r
@kindex C-c M-r
@findex message-rename-buffer
Rename the buffer (@code{message-rename-buffer}).  If given a prefix,
prompt for a new buffer name.

@end table


@node Sending
@section Sending

@table @kbd
@item C-c C-c
@kindex C-c C-c 
@findex message-send-and-exit
Send the message and bury the current buffer
(@code{message-send-and-exit}). 

@item C-c C-s
@kindex C-c C-s 
@findex message-send
Send the message (@code{message-send}). 

@item C-c C-d
@kindex C-c C-d
@findex message-dont-send
Bury the message buffer and exit (@code{message-dont-send}).

@item C-c C-k
@kindex C-c C-k
@findex message-kill-buffer
Kill the message buffer and exit (@code{message-kill-buffer}).

@end table


@node Variables
@chapter Variables

@menu
* Message Headers::             General message header stuff.
* Mail Headers::                Customizing mail headers.
* Mail Variables::              Other mail variables.
* News Headers::                Customizing news headers.
* News Variables::              Other news variables.
* Various Message Variables::   Other message variables.
* Sending Variables::           Variables for sending.
* Message Actions::             Actions to be performed when exiting.
@end menu


@node Message Headers
@section Message Headers

Message is a quite aggressive on the message generation front.  It has
to be -- it's a combined news and mail agent.  To be able to send
combined messages, it has to generate all headers itself to ensure that
mail and news copies of messages look sufficiently similar.

@table @code

@item message-generate-headers-first
@vindex message-generate-headers-first
If non-@code{nil}, generate all headers before starting to compose the
message.  

@item message-from-style
@vindex message-from-style
Specifies how @code{From} headers should look.  There are four legal
values:

@table @code
@item nil
Just the address -- @samp{king@@grassland.com}.

@item parens
@samp{king@@grassland.com (Elvis Parsley)}.

@item angles
@samp{Elvis Parsley <king@@grassland.com>}.

@item default
Look like @code{angles} if that doesn't require quoting, and
@code{parens} if it does.  If even @code{parens} requires quoting, use
@code{angles} anyway.

@end table

@item message-deletable-headers
@vindex message-deletable-headers
Headers in this list that were previously generated by Message will be
deleted before posting.  Let's say you post an article.  Then you decide
to post it again to some other group, you naughty boy, so you jump back
to the @code{*post-buf*} buffer, edit the @code{Newsgroups} line, and
ship it off again.  By default, this variable makes sure that the old
generated @code{Message-ID} is deleted, and a new one generated.  If
this isn't done, the entire empire would probably crumble, anarchy would
prevail, and cats would start walking on two legs and rule the world.
Allegedly.  

@item message-default-headers
@vindex message-default-headers
This string is inserted at the end of the headers in all message
buffers.

@end table


@node Mail Headers
@section Mail Headers

@table @code
@item message-required-mail-headers
@vindex message-required-mail-headers
See @pxref{News Headers} for the syntax of this variable.  It is
@code{(From Date Subject (optional . In-Reply-To) Message-ID Lines
(optional . X-Mailer))} by default.

@item message-ignored-mail-headers
@vindex message-ignored-mail-headers
Regexp of headers to be removed before mailing.  The default is
@samp{^Gcc:\\|^Fcc:}. 

@item message-default-mail-headers
@vindex message-default-mail-headers
This string is inserted at the end of the headers in all message
buffers that are initialized as mail.

@end table


@node Mail Variables
@section Mail Variables 

@table @code
@item message-send-mail-function
@vindex message-send-mail-function
Function used to send the current buffer as mail.  The default is
@code{message-send-mail-with-sendmail}.   If you prefer using MH
instead, set this variable to @code{message-send-mail-with-mh}.

@end table


@node News Headers
@section News Headers

@vindex message-required-news-headers
@code{message-required-news-headers} a list of header symbols.  These
headers will either be automatically generated, or, if that's
impossible, they will be prompted for.  The following symbols are legal:

@table @code

@item From
@cindex From
This required header will be filled out with the result of the
@code{message-make-from} function, which depends on the
@code{message-from-style}, @code{user-full-name},
@code{user-mail-address} variables.

@item Subject
@cindex Subject
This required header will be prompted for if not present already. 

@item Newsgroups
@cindex Newsgroups
This required header says which newsgroups the article is to be posted
to.  If it isn't present already, it will be prompted for.

@item Organization
@cindex organization
This optional header will be filled out depending on the
@code{message-user-organization} variable.
@code{message-user-organization-file} will be used if that variable is
@code{t}.

@item Lines
@cindex Lines
This optional header will be computed by Message.

@item Message-ID
@cindex Message-ID
This required header will be generated by Message.  A unique ID will be
created based on date, time, user name and system name.

@item X-Newsreader
@cindex X-Newsreader
This optional header will be filled out according to the
@code{message-newsreader} local variable.

@item X-Mailer
This optional header will be filled out according to the
@code{message-mailer} local variable, unless there already is an
@code{X-Newsreader} header present.

@item In-Reply-To
This optional header is filled out using the @code{Date} and @code{From}
header of the article being replied.

@item Expires
@cindex Expires
This extremely optional header will be inserted according to the
@code{message-expires} variable.  It is highly deprecated and shouldn't
be used unless you know what you're doing.

@item Distribution
@cindex Distribution
This optional header is filled out according to the
@code{message-distribution-function} variable.  It is a deprecated and
much misunderstood header.

@item Path
@cindex path
This extremely optional header should probably not ever be used.
However, some @emph{very} old servers require that this header is
present.  @code{message-user-path} further controls how this
@code{Path} header is to look.  If is is @code{nil}, the the server name
as the leaf node.  If is is a string, use the string.  If it is neither
a string nor @code{nil}, use the user name only.  However, it is highly
unlikely that you should need to fiddle with this variable at all.
@end table

@findex yow
@cindex Mime-Version
In addition, you can enter conses into this list.  The car of this cons
should be a symbol.  This symbol's name is the name of the header, and
the cdr can either be a string to be entered verbatim as the value of
this header, or it can be a function to be called.  This function should
return a string to be inserted.  For instance, if you want to insert
@code{Mime-Version: 1.0}, you should enter @code{(Mime-Version . "1.0")}
into the list.  If you want to insert a funny quote, you could enter
something like @code{(X-Yow . yow)} into the list.  The function
@code{yow} will then be called without any arguments.

If the list contains a cons where the car of the cons is
@code{optional}, the cdr of this cons will only be inserted if it is
non-@code{nil}.

Other variables for customizing outgoing news articles:

@table @code

@item message-syntax-checks
@vindex message-syntax-checks
If non-@code{nil}, message will attempt to check the legality of the
headers, as well as some other stuff, before posting.  You can control
the granularity of the check by adding or removing elements from this
list.  Legal elements are:

@table @code
@item subject-cmsg 
Check the subject for commands.
@item sender
@cindex Sender
Insert a new @code{Sender} header if the @code{From} header looks odd. 
@item multiple-headers 
Check for the existence of multiple equal headers.
@item sendsys 
@cindex sendsys
Check for the existence of version and sendsys commands.
@item message-id
Check whether the @code{Message-ID} looks ok.
@item from
Check whether the @code{From} header seems nice.
@item long-lines 
@cindex long lines
Check for too long lines.
@item control-chars
Check for illegal characters.
@item size
Check for excessive size.
@item new-text
Check whether there is any new text in the messages.
@item signature
Check the length of the signature.
@item approved
@cindex approved
Check whether the article has an @code{Approved} header, which is
something only moderators should include.
@item empty
Check whether the article is empty.
@item empty-headers
Check whether any of the headers are empty.
@item existing-newsgroups
Check whether the newsgroups mentioned in the Newsgroups and 
Followup-To headers exist.
@item valid-newsgroups
Check whether the @code{Newsgroups} and @code{Followup-To} headers
are valid syntactially.
@end table

All these conditions are checked by default.

@item message-ignored-news-headers
@vindex message-ignored-news-headers
Regexp of headers to be removed before posting.  The default is
@samp{^NNTP-Posting-Host:\\|^Xref:\\|^Bcc:\\|^Gcc:\\|^Fcc:}. 

@item message-default-news-headers
@vindex message-default-news-headers
This string is inserted at the end of the headers in all message
buffers that are initialized as news.

@end table


@node News Variables
@section News Variables

@table @code
@item message-send-news-function
@vindex message-send-news-function
Function used to send the current buffer as news.  The default is
@code{message-send-news}. 

@item message-post-method
@vindex message-post-method
Method used for posting a prepared news message.

@end table


@node Various Message Variables
@section Various Message Variables

@table @code
@item message-signature-separator
@vindex message-signature-separator
Regexp matching the signature separator.  It is @samp{^-- *$} by
default. 

@item mail-header-separator
@vindex mail-header-separator
String used to separate the headers from the body.  It is @samp{--text
follows this line--} by default.

@item message-directory
@vindex message-directory
Directory used by many mailey things.  The default is @file{~/Mail/}. 

@item message-autosave-directory
@vindex message-autosave-directory
Directory where message buffers will be autosaved to.

@item message-setup-hook
@vindex message-setup-hook
Hook run when the message buffer has been initialized.

@item message-header-setup-hook
@vindex message-header-setup-hook
Hook called narrowed to the headers after initializing the headers. 

@item message-send-hook
@vindex message-send-hook
Hook run before sending messages.

@item message-sent-hook
@vindex message-sent-hook
Hook run after sending messages.

@item message-mode-syntax-table
@vindex message-mode-syntax-table
Syntax table used in message mode buffers.

@end table



@node Sending Variables
@section Sending Variables

@table @code

@item message-fcc-handler-function 
@vindex message-fcc-handler-function 
A function called to save outgoing articles.  This function will be
called with the name of the file to store the article in. The default
function is @code{rmail-output} which saves in Unix mailbox format.

@item message-courtesy-message
@vindex message-courtesy-message
When sending combined messages, this string is inserted at the start of
the mailed copy.  If this variable is @code{nil}, no such courtesy
message will be added.

@end table


@node Message Actions
@section Message Actions

When Message is being used from a news/mail reader, the reader is likely
to want to perform some task after the message has been sent.  Perhaps
return to the previous window configuration or mark an article as
replied.  

@vindex message-kill-actions
@vindex message-postpone-actions
@vindex message-exit-actions
@vindex message-send-actions
The user may exit from the message buffer in various ways.  The most
common is @kbd{C-c C-c}, which sends the message and exits.  Other
possibilities are @kbd{C-c C-s} which just sends the message, @kbd{C-c
C-d} which postpones the message editing and buries the message buffer,
and @kbd{C-c C-k} which kills the message buffer.  Each of these actions
have lists associated with them that contains actions to be executed:
@code{message-send-actions}, @code{message-exit-actions},
@code{message-postpone-actions}, and @code{message-kill-actions}.  

Message provides a function to interface with these lists:
@code{message-add-action}.  The first parameter is the action to be
added, and the rest of the arguments are which lists to add this action
to.  Here's an example from Gnus:

@lisp
  (message-add-action
   `(set-window-configuration ,(current-window-configuration))
   'exit 'postpone 'kill)
@end lisp

This restores the Gnus window configuration when the message buffer is
killed, postponed or exited.

An @dfn{action} can be either a normal function; or a list where the
@code{car} is a function and the @code{cdr} is the list of arguments; or
a form to be @code{eval}ed.

@node Index
@chapter Index
@printindex cp

@node Key Index
@chapter Key Index
@printindex ky

@summarycontents
@contents
@bye

@c End: